Lawn-swing.



remainder of the supporting frame.

WILLIAM S. TOTHILL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

LAWN-SWING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 5, 1908.

Application filed November 21, 1907. Serial No. 403,201.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM S. TOTHILL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Im rovements in LawnSwings, of which thefollbwing is a specification, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings.

My invention relates to lawn swings of the well-known type in which theswing proper is supported from a frame composed of two standards set atan angle to each other, the legs of each standard being also set at anangle to each other. It is often objectionable to so far take such aswing apart for storing or shipping it that it cannot be readily seenjust how it may be again restored to its normal working condition, butit is the object of my invention to provide a construction by which thesupporting frame of the swing may be readily and quickly adjusted andfolded up so as to occupy the minimum amount of space without so fardismantling the swing as to make it difficult for any one to put itagain in working order. This object I accomplish by pivoting thesupporting standards in the frame so that they may be swung to positionsparallel with each other and by pivoting the supporting legs of eachstandard so that said legs may be swung to positions parallel with eachother. Such a construction makes necessary the use of especial care toprevent weakening the swing, and it is a further object of my inventionto provide for the adjustments mentioned and still insure a strongdurable structure. I accomplish these objects by the means shown in thedrawings and hereinafter described.

That which I believe to be new will be pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings :Figure 1 is a perspective view of a swing embodying myimprovements. Fig. 2 is a detail showing the connection of one of thesupporting legs with the Fig. 3 is an end view of the parts shown inFig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, in which corresponding parts are indicated bylike reference characters, 6 indicates the upright members of the swingproper, su porting the seats 7 and 8 and being pivotal y connected attheir lower ends to the base ortion 9. Inasmuch as these parts may be 0any well-known construction, it is not deemed necessary to furtherdescribe them herein.

10 indicates the supporting legs of the frame, the legs of each standardconverging toward their upper ends.

1 1 indicates cross braces preferably secured by means of bolts to thelower ends of the legs 10, holding the legs of each pair firmly in theirdiverged position.

12 indicates four diagonal braces, two such braces extending from eachof one pair of legs to the opposite leg of the other pair, said bracesbeing preferably secured to the legs by means of bolts. As shown in Fig.1, the braces on each side of the swing are connected together, as by abolt, at the point where they cross each other.

13 indicates long bolts passing through the supporting legs near theirupper ends and through the upper ends of the uprights 6, as shown inFig. i

14 indicates a cross strip secured to the legs 10 of each pair of legsnear their upper ends by means of bolts 15. Fitted between thesupporting legs of each pair, but not connected therewith, are twospacin '-blocks 1617, which are affiXed in anysuita le manner to thecross strips 14. The bolts 15 are placed directly opposite thespacing-block 17 the ends of which are rounded, as shown in Fig. 2, soas to permit the leg 10 to be swung about the bolt 15 as a pivot.

18 indicates two crossbars connecting the upper ends of the supportingle s 10,. one crossbar 18 extending from each eg of one pair to theopposite leg of the other pair, as shown in Fig. 1. These crossbars 18are secured in place by means of long bolts 19 each of which passesthrough corresponding ends of the bars 18 and through the upper ends ofone pair of legs a short distance above the points where they arepivotally connected with the cross strip 14.

Inasmuch as the spacing-blocks 16 have their ends angled to buttsquarely against the legs 10 of each pair of legs, and the two blocks 16and 17 are of proper length to completely fill the space between saidlegs when the swing is in its normal working condition, it will beunderstood that by means of the bolts 19 which are positioned betweenthe two spacing blocks the legs 10, crossbars 18, and spacing-blocks 16and 17 may be clamped together into a very strong rigid frame which willnot be liable to work loose under 'the most severe working conditions.

At the same time, it is evident that by merely loosening the bolts 19and removing the bolts that hold the cross braces 11 in place the legs10 of each pair may be turned on the bolts 15 as pivots and brought intoparallelism, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2. It will beunderstood that after the legs 10 are thus made parallel, they may befirmly locked in such position by tightening the bolts 19 and 13 whichare on opposite sides of the spacing-block 17. It is likewise evidentthat by removing the'bolts that secure the diagonal braces 12 to thelegs 10, and loosening the bolts 19, the two pairs of legs may be turnedon the bolts 19 as pivots until they are parallel in which position theymay be held by any suitable means.

By means of my construction, it will be seen, the swing as a whole maybe easily and quickly adjusted to take up a very great deal smalleramount of space than in its working condition, the adjusted positions,however, being such that it is evident to anyone how the adjustmentshave been made and how the swing can again be put into working condition.

While I have shown and described my device as including the cross strip14 and two spacing blocks, and prefer to so construct it, it will beunderstood that any suitable form of spacing-block may be used thatwill, in com bination with the bolt 19, or an equivalent device,accomplish the result sought and obtained as described. It will befurther understood that, while I have shown the legs 10 pivoted to thecross strip 14. at the lower edge thereof and. provided a spacing-block17 opposite thereto and a shorter spacing block 16 above, I do notrestrict myself to this specific arrangement, as the pivot bolts 15 maybe inserted at any point in said cross strip and the spacing-block 16may be of any suitable length and positioned relative to thespacingblock 17 according to its length.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patentis 1. In a swing, the combination with a pair of supporting legs at oneend of the swing,

pair of supporting legs at one end of the swing, of a cross strip towhich said legs are pivotally connected, a spacing-block located betweensaid legs and carried by said cross strip, and a bolt passing throughboth of said legs and adapted to hold the same against saidspacing-block.

1. In a swing, the combination with the pair of supporting legs at oneend of the swing, of a cross strip to which said legs are pivotallyconnected, a spacing-block between said legs opposite their pivotpoints, a second spacing-block adapted to fit between said legs when thesame are swung at an angle to each other, and a bolt passing throughboth of said legs between said spacing-blocks and adapted to hold thelegs in contact therewith.

5. In a swing, the combination with two pairs of supporting legs one ateach end of the swing, of two cross strips to each of which one pair oflegs are pivotally connected, a spacing-block between each pair of legs,a crossbar extending from the upper end of each leg to the opposite legat the other end of the swing, and. two bolts each. of which passesthrough one end of each crossbar and through both of one pair of legsand is adapted to hold the same against the spacing-block.

IVILLIAM S. TOTHILL. Witnesses WVILLIAM H. DE BUsK, MINNIE A. HUNTER.

